by Donna D. Ignatavicius; Susan Andersen (Author)

Develop the multiple types of thinking you need to make safe, appropriate clinical judgments! Alfaro’s Clinical Judgment in Nursing: A How-To Practice Approach, 8th Edition, brings these concepts to life through engaging, easy-to-understand language, diverse learning activities, and real-life clinical scenarios. This edition emphasizes readiness for nursing practice and the Next-Generation NCLEX® exam, with a focus on the six cognitive (thinking) skills needed to make evidence-based clinical judgments.

UPDATED! Restructured coverage reflects the latest research and trends related to the multiple types of thinking needed to make effective clinical judgments in nursing.

Thinking Exercises throughout each chapter, and again at the end of each chapter, enable you to apply clear examples of clinical judgment cognitive skills that measure:

Recognize Cues

Analyze Cues

Prioritize Hypotheses

Generate Solutions

Take Actions

Evaluate Outcomes

UPDATED! Next-Generation NCLEX® (NGN) thinking exercises prepare you for the significant changes to the exam.

NEW! Additional NGN-Style Unfolding Case Studies and Standalone Items on the companion Evolve website give you valuable practice answering these new question types.

Clear, straightforward approach and motivational writing style provides real-life clinical scenarios that illustrate how to make effective clinical judgments in nursing practice.

Highlighted features and sections promote deep learning, including:

This Chapter at a Glance

Learning Outcomes

Key Terms

Clinical Judgment Tip boxes

Thinking Exercise boxes

How to Make Safe Clinical Judgments chapter provides full examples of both Standalone Items and Unfolding Case Studies to help you prepare for the newest NGN test items on the NCLEX® exam.

Updated throughout to reflect the latest research and thinking related to critical thinking in nursing, clinical reasoning in nursing, and clinical nursing judgment. Includes significant updates related to the Next-Generation NCLEX® Exam (NGN), the 2021 AACN Essentials, and the 2021 Future of Nursing Report. Includes new NGN-style case studies on Evolve: NGN Case Studies for Faculty: 5 unfolding 10 single-episode NGN Case Studies for Students: 5 unfolding 10 single-episode